BonChon Chicken

This place is good, the chicken is decent, but I couldn’t eat more than one piece. The salmon/​avocado ball is pretty good, but really is the only option (besides salads) for someone who eats healthy.

Came here with the boyfriend today and thought it was great! Very Americanized, sort of like a Pei Wei. I was craving bibimbap, and made Boyfriend get a bowl too. I very rarely finish my meals, but I finished this one so it must have been delicious! We will be back — I want to try the wings!

We tried the takoyaki as a starter, but I didn’t really care for the very soft interior. The octopus pieces were there, but didn’t do much for the dish.
The wife, kids, and I ordered fried chicken 3 ways. The popcorn chicken, tenders, and the combo of wings and legs. Surprisingly each one was fried differently. The popcorn chicken was panko crusted with a sweet sauce drizzled over them. It was okay, maybe a bit over fried. The kids wanted a dipping sauce besides the spicy mayo that came with it, but there wasn’t anything else they could offer. The «small» order of strips was a huge serving. They had a lighter crust and could have been saucier. The wings and legs were super crunchy and satisfying. Eating the leftovers cold as a late night meal was even better. They stayed crunchy too!
I’d prefer if they included white rice or another side besides the sweet pickled daikon with your orders rather than a la carte. I liked the daikon, but the glaze on the chicken is already sweet, so it would be nice to have something to balance it out. It’s a bit pricey, but the serving sizes are pretty large. This will be more of a carryout option for me in the future, and I’d recommend sticking with the wings or drum sticks if you want the best chicken here.

This was my very first experience with Korean fried chicken, and the chicken itself was a pleasant surprise. Very crispy and flavorful. On the flipside, it’s fairly pricey. Like Hot Chicken Takeover pricey. Except they’re not as good as Hot Chicken Takeover.
They also serve some traditional Korean staples like hot stone bibimbap and bulgogi. We did order one hot stone bibimbap and found it to taste similarly good to the bibimbaps that we’ve had at other area Korean restaurants like Kaya and San Su. The downside to Bonchon’s bibimbap is that it costs the same as the bibimbap at other restaurants, except you don’t get any of the unlimited sides like kimchi that you get at other restaurants. (kimchi at Bonnchon is an extra $ 2.95).
We also had their chicken fried rice, which according to my wife was the most disappointing fried rice she’s ever had. Good thing our 3 year old still liked it.
All of the above might be forgiven if this place was a convenient fast food joint… but it’s a sit down restaurant. And a poorly lit, poorly decorated sit down restaurant at that. The interior looks like what you would get at a Bdubs that ran out of their decoration budget half way through construction.
Overall, this place is just OK. I guess if my family couldn’t decide between fried chicken or Korean food, then this place works. But if we wanted Korean specifically or fried chicken specifically… there are multiple better options in Columbus.

I thought the fried chicken was phenomenal, top 5 in columbus in my opinion. Do NOT get anything else but the fried chicken, everything else on the menu is overpriced and standard.
The chicken is crisp to perfection and the flavor is enjoyable. I enjoy that crunch everytime I bite into the juicy perfectly fried korean friend chiken.
Some people say the chicken is bland, that’s because Asian people like bland food compared to Westerners. If you want you to add some flavor to it, bring your own bottle of hot sauce. I always carry a bottle of hot sauce in my car. If I feel I need to add some heat to my dish, I would run outside to my car and come back to the restaurant with a bottle of Frank’s Red Hot Sauce. I put that sh*t on everything.

This place doesn’t live up to the hype or maybe that’s what got my hopes up in the first place. The chicken and salmon avocado ball is good but not amazing as most people say, especially for the price you pay which is slightly over I believe. Maybe it’s because the Asian sauces are already familiar to the food I grew up with so it doesn’t impress me.
The spicy chicken reminds me of the sweet Thai chilli with a kick to it comparable to Rooster’s but with extra crispy skin. It’s like you bite in and it’s kind of hollow then you get to the meat. I prefer the soy sauce garlic wings which I find more flavorful. Like I said it is good but not out of this world, maybe if you’ve never had Asian chicken before. The avocado salmon ball reminds of the crab salad at Buckeye phở but not on their level.
I didn’t like the sticky tables as another reviewer mentioned. Why are they all sticky?
Overall, again… the experience and food was good but not amazing judging from just the dishes I’ve had. I’ve yet to try anything else. I would definitely go back to see what else there is to offer though.

Korea has got a good ‘do on their fried chicken — it took us forever to get to Bonchon, but it was worth the wait.
The staff were friendly and the restaurant looked clean and open. The red, white and black, paired with the angular lines gives an energetic vibe. Our server was happy to explain and suggest items on the menu, and checked on us often.
While there is no ban chan offered here, there are plenty of appetizers on the menu. We tried the fried potstickers, because we certainly weren’t anticipating eating enough fried stuff at a fried-​chicken place. They were perfectly sealed, which means either a) their chef is totally awesome or b) the dumplings were commercially-​made.
ANYWAY. I ordered a six-​mix of drums and wings, half spicy and half garlic-​teriyaki. Fried chicken, when it’s right, it’s right on. Crispy, crunchy, with enough sauce for flavor (but not puddling underneath). Spicy was maybe an American medium heat. I think I preferred the garlic-​soy/​teriyaki. The portions were big, too. A bowl of daikon radish and a side of kimchi coleslaw rounded it out. I did take home half of my dinner — plenty of food.
The spouse ordered the japchae, which was pretty darn good — aside from super-​long glass noodles that we Americans can’t slurp properly. (Our mothers would be proud.)
Price, portions, service were all about right, and we’d definitely come here again.

BonChon is the place to be if you’re craving AMAZING wings! I’ve been here around 4 – 5 times within the past few months, and I’ve never been disappointed. Fortunately for me and my party, I’ve never been to the restaurant when they’re packed. I never had to wait more than a few minutes to be seated. Parking is also super easy!
BonChon is great for a party of 11 or a party of two. Everyone I’ve taken here has enjoyed the freshness of the food and the impeccable service.
The wings are super crispy and packed with flavor. These are NOT BWW wings. They’re sophisticated wings. Put away your bibs and wipes, because you won’t be needing to clean up a mess after devouring the wings! The sauce is somehow embedded in the skin, which makes it taste great and the clean up is easy!
The wings are bigger than what you’ll get at most places. Eating for one, I have gotten full off of the small size plate and had leftovers. I’ve even shared 2 large plates in a party of 11, and there were still pieces left over. These wings go a long way, and they taste just as good the next day if heated in the oven.
I cannot wait until the next time I’m here again :)

Not impressed. Upon entering the restaurant we were seated at semi sticky table. Not a big deal just wipe it clean. Ordered the surprisingly pricey Calamari ($ 13.95) as an appetizer which seemed to be frozen, thawed and fried. It was chewy and tough, though drizzled in some sort of garlic sauce which they referred to as «dressing» which was pretty tasty. I asked for a side of the sauce and was told «no» its company policy that they do not give out sides or small containers of sauce… huh? Ok. so they took the plate back and literally drizzled more of the «dressing» on to the Calamari. I didn’t quite understand if there was some type of «dressing» shortage or what but I thought, ok if this how they do it here, so be it.
We proceeded to order chicken tenders and also wings. I got the half and half variety, one half is the Soy Garlic and one half Spicy. The spicy wings are extremely spicy! I can handle most spicy foods, these were too spicy for me to eat. That said, the tenders which were ordered in the Soy Garlic flavor were pretty good. It was mainly a texture thing for me. The meat does not seem to be marinated but relies heavily on the light breading and «dressing» for the flavor. All in all for money spent you could have a nicer dinner experience elsewhere with clean tables.

Was really craving for some Korean fried chicken and my search came up with this place in the area. I didn’t realize this place is a chain. Had medium combo (10 wings and 5 drumsticks) in soy garlic and spicy sauces. Their fried chicken was decent and fulfilled my crave; however, I still think it’s incomparable to Seoul Street in Ann Arbor in my heart. Also ordered a salmon and avocado ball. I might return here as I haven’t discovered any other Korean fried chicken restaurants nearby, but I do think that their pricing was a bit too high.

Ordered for pick up on our way to Pittsburgh. Worth the 45 minute detour. Drumsticks with hot n spicy. The chicken was fresh out of the fryer and tasted delicious. Not as spicy as other bonchons (Boston and New Jersey) which was good because I could eat more than the usual 2 drumsticks without crying in spicy agony.
Tip: order the drumsticks instead of the wings because you get more meat for your buck! But if you just want the crispy skin and famous bonchon flavor, get the wings since the chicken technically is secondary to the flavorful sauce!

For the fried chicken, you have the option of wings, drumsticks and strips. You can also pick from their combo, which include both wings and drumsticks. Spicy or soy sauce are the two sauce option that you can pick from. The way the chicken is breaded is definitely different from American fried chicken. As you bite into the chicken, the breading is very crispy. At the same time, you can also taste the juiciness of the meat.
We also order some other appetizers to go along with the fried chicken. Both of the fried calamari and takoyaki is a little bit over cook, that cause the food a bit to the dry side. The other item that I like is the potstickers. Golden coated surface with super juicy and soft filling, such a prefect combination for potstickers.
Beside their famous Korean fried chicken, they also have some entrée items, such as bibimbap and bulgogi. If you are looking for some new style of fried chicken, I do recommend you to Bonchon Chicken. Maybe you can try in «Chi-​Mc» style and let me know how you like the combo.

I went here for lunch with a friend a couple months ago. We perused the lunch specials, and both found it strange that it consisted of just chicken. I love chicken, but I usually prefer to eat… something with it?
Luckily, since the husband was out of town, I ordered more food that I could eat so I would have something for later. I got the drumsticks with the soy garlic sauce and the chicken fried rice. The fried rice was pretty good — hence the three stars. I love fried rice and while this wasn’t the best that I have had, it was pretty good. The drumsticks were good as well, nicely cooked and crispy. I also got a side of pickled radish, which was delicious.
Overall the location was pretty nice inside as well. The décor was not what I was expecting, a little bit classier than I would have thought it. Though I think I remember it being kind of dark. But it was exceptionally clean, so you can’t go wrong there.
So why the three stars? In my opinion, the pricing was a bit ridiculous. I basically paid $ 8.95 for four drumsticks. Which theoretically isn’t bad, but, really? That’s all I get is 4 pieces of chicken? Then to get anything OTHER than chicken you have to pay extra? I know it’s not too much more, but it’s not really meal worthy. I mean the food is good — but price for what you get? I’d rather go somewhere else and get a real meal.

Oh Bonchon, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways…
The chicken: strips are good, drums are better, wings are best, sauces are great, yes it’s a bit pricey
The fried rice; reminds me of Jing Chuang’s (sp?) which I have pined for now for nearly a decade
The potstickers: 9 dollars! I thought to myself as my girlfriend ordered these dumplings, which appear to be prepared similarly to the chicken, fried and painted with sauce. But they are very good. Worth 9 bucks? That’s a matter of personal opinion. Me, I say shut up Bonchon and take my money.

I went back here for my second time, and it was just as good as the first! It’s so nice to have a place like this in Columbus! Next time, I might order an entrée (besides the delicious fried chicken).

This is a hidden joint off of 161 and sawmill. Came here to try out what the hype was about. The place wasn’t that busy and it’s a pretty big place. We ordered the 15 piece combo with the drumsticks and wings. This was split between 3 of us and was a good amount because we had extras. Their wings are huge, so don’t expect bdub style small wings! We tried the garlic soy flavor… it was kinda sweet to my liking. I’ve had real Bön chon in NYC so these wings are just ok. For Columbus it is just ok… we also ordered the salmon avocado appetizer and calamari. The salmon avocado was good though! 2 appetizers and about 15 wings = $ 50.
Not bad but I’ve had better bon chon elsewhere.

Bonchon deserves a place with Mya’s and Hot Chicken Takeover as one of the top fried chicken spots in Columbus. I was wondering if it could live up to the hype, and it certainly did.
The skin is impossibly crispy but still light. Both sauces were delicious, although I wouldn’t have mind if the chicken had been sauced a little more heavily. I definitely recommend getting half and half on the sauces, they’re both good and it’s nice to be able to switch up the flavors.
Also, I recommend the wings over the drumsticks or strips. The wings we had were meaty and had the best skin to meat ratio. (And let’s be honest, you’re here for the skin.)

I’m so happy this chain finally made it to cbus! I’ve gotten takeout wings from their NY store previously and even though those were kinda lukewarm, I still remember them being delicious. This time, I came with my bf for dine-​in and the piping hot wings were out of this world. Also, their tteokbokki is a little expensive but it sits on a bed of noodles and is totally worth getting. This restaurant is a bit out of my way but I wouldn’t mind coming back all the time.
P. S. I ate here around 3pm on a weekend afternoon so they weren’t busy, and the food came out super fast and the service was superb.

What’s better than fried chicken? Twice fried chicken!
My wife, nonpicky 3 year old (our superpicky 6 year old was still in school) and I came for lunch and split chicken fried rice, a bibimbop bulgogi bowl and the twice fried half and half chicken strips. I don’t particularly care for drumsticks or wings – the bones and tendons freak me out a little, so it’s nice to have a boneless option. We also ordered some edamame as a starter.
The restaurant is quite simply, but nicely decorated. The colors will please the OSU faithful as well. There are two bar areas, tables and several booths. We sat at a booth which was fine, but the seats were oddly low relative to the table. No matter, the food made up for the ergonomics…
The fried rice and edamame were pretty good – we ordered these mainly for our son, but my wife and I sampled a little as well. The bibimbop was surprisingly good as well. I think this version feels a little Americanized compared to other versions I have tried… The bowl wasn’t hot enough to cook the rice at the bottom like you typically see in old school Korean restaurants (like Restaurant Silla), but the mix of veggies, bulgogi and rice was spot on otherwise.
Of course, the chicken was the star of the show. The double frying technique results in super crispy skin that is surprisingly not greasy. With the chicken strips its almost like eating a chicken potato chip (I’m sure there are better descriptions but it’s the best I can do). I preferred the spicy version while my wife favored the slightly sweet garlic soy version. You can’t go wrong with either.
The lunch size servings were quite large and we have at least another meal worth of left overs – though I can see a fight brewing between my wife and me for the last two pieces of chicken. Our bill was pretty reasonable for the amount of food we received as well – about $ 35 plus tip.
Between Bonchon and Hot Chicken Takeover some may say we have reached Peak Spicy Chicken here in Columbus. I prefer to think of our situation as the Pax Romana of Spicy Chicken. We should enjoy our embarrassment of riches while we can.

FINALLY! Bonchon came to Columbus and I quenched my thirst for some legit Korean fried chicken! I tried both the garlic soy and the spicy, both were pure perfection. The skin is crispy, but not not oozing with oil like KFC or Church’s; and the sauce is applied evenly across the chicken unlike globs like Buffalo Wild Wings or Roosters.
Besides the chicken wings, I also had bibimbap and takoyaki, which were both delicious but not much better than other places in the Columbus area.
One thing that disappointed me was that this location doesn’t seem to have as many menu items to choose from as other Bonchon locations such as Soondubu jigae and kimchi jigae, and also there’s no Korean BBQ options. That was my only disappointment. I hope that as this location’s business begin to boom, their menu will expand as well! This may not be as big of a deal though since Bonchon is best known for their fried chicken.

I have been counting the days until we finally got our own Bonchon! This is real KFC (Korean Fried Chicken), double fried to perfection and slathered in spicy sauce or garlic soy (I lean towards the spicy, but you can get half and half).
Since I’ve only been to Bonchon while on vacation elsewhere, I’ve never ventured outside the fried chicken, so I look forward to going back and working my way through the entire menu! The chicken tasted just as good as I remember. The skin is so crispy that it breaks off in shards, and that spicy sauce makes my nose run in the most delightful way, luckily, there is beer to put that fire out.
My only criticism is the music – a strange mix of rando and old adult contemporary. Why not K-​pop or something consistantly upbeat?